The Netherlands serves as a case study for the challenges and rewards of reduced hours in the workplace.
By Sarah O'Connor
On a recent evening in Amsterdam in August, the ships of the Sail Amsterdam festival were moored along the River IJ, draped with bunting, and crowded with Dutch people basking in the late summer sunshine. There was a festival atmosphere, and the crowds thinned only gradually in the evening as most had no hurry to be in bed early for work the next day.
They didn’t need to: In addition to their generous holidays, many Dutch workers already work fewer hours than most of their European counterparts. The full-time work week is officially 38 hours, but the average number of hours actually worked per week is just 29—one of the lowest in the developed world.
Some of them work four days a week by choice, even when they could work more. “We mix part-time and full-time,” said Peter, a project manager who works 32 hours a week and spends Fridays with his three children. His wife, a lawyer, works full-time but is able to leave the office at 5pm. “There’s a real appreciation here for having a work-life balance,” he said.
This ...... trend began in the 1980s, when the government wanted to encourage more women to join the workforce. Successive governments have offered tax incentives to companies and workers to encourage part-time jobs. Now, almost half of Dutch employees work part-time—including 75% of women and 26% of men.
Despite the popularity of reduced hours, economists have long debated whether a nation can afford so much leisure. Critics argue that the system can lead to inefficiencies and higher costs for business. Yet unemployment is low, and Dutch productivity per hour worked is among the highest in Europe, according to the OECD.
Other European countries are watching closely. “We see the Netherlands as a kind of laboratory,” said François, a labor economist at the University of Paris.
As the debate about a four-day week continues elsewhere, the Dutch example suggests that a gradual, organic shift might be the most effective way to shorter working hours.
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